Please Keep Starr In Your Thoughts & Prayers:Update: Biopsy Results!!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi,I thought that I'd better post this now. Starr will be having a surgical biopsy some time on Monday and I'll be dropping him off tomorrow night between 5-7pm. He'll then stay overnight on Monday night and he'll be able to come home some time on Tues. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I'll explain more below.

As some of you already know, Starr's been having chronic diarrhea and mushy poos for quite a while now. I've tried metronidazale, prednisolone, tylosin, probiotics, new diets and nothing has worked.:( His whiskers are now breaking and some are just little stubs and his fur isn't looking good either. It isn't as soft and silky like it usually is and it's also lost a lot of it's luster.:( In Aug. he weighed about 9.6lbs and I took him to a new vet last Tues. and he's down to 7.9lbs.:(

I've been having a lot of problems with my current vet's office so when I heard about Adobe Animal Hospital (http://www.adobe-animal.com/new%20adobe/index.htm) through Cathy Bogart, I asked her more about it and to see if she could find out which vet would be the best for me and my cats. I saw Dr. Rachel Boltz on Tues. night and she's excellent. She specializes in feline medicine and surgery. She immediatley noticed that Starr's coat and whiskers looked bad so she said that he should have a vitamin B12 shot. She gave him one and he's been feeling much better. He'll be getting these about every 2 weeks until he doesn't need them any more.

She also recommended that he have the surgical biopsy so that she can then give him the right course of treatment. He could've also had an endoscopy biopsy but this would take longer, not be as conclusive, and leave Starr in more pain the next day. She'll also be able to look at his pancreas and said that this is a plus too. She'll know the results in a couple of days so I'll hopefully know by Wed. or Thurs. at the latest. He's also eating Hills Prescription Z/D and seems to like it so far. She gave me a sample to see if he'd even like it before I bought any of it. He also loved the canned food but it didn't love him.:(

I kept telling my other vets that Starr did worse when he ate wet food and they couldn't understand why. Dr. Boltz said that it's because his colon can't absorb the moisture of wet food properly. She also said that his red inflamed gums was also a part of this illness. After he had his teeth cleaning in late Dec. is when he started getting worse. She's given me hope for Starr. If I hadn't gone to her for a second opinion I hate to think of what may have happended to Starr.:(

This hospital is very large but everyone is very organized, efficient, friendly, and extremely nice. Dr. Boltz also told me that she won't even charge me for Starr's overnight stay on Sunday night. She works from Sun.-Wed. 9am-7pm and Mon. is her surgery day. She's making it more conveinent for me because if I had to drop him off before 9am on Mon. morning, I'd get stuck in a lot of traffic and it would take me twice as long to get there. She even gave me her e-mail address. I'm sorry that this post is so long but I just wanted to share everything with you. Thanks again Cathy Bogart. This place has now become my furkids new hospital.:)

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I am so glad that you found a vet whom seems more concerned/educated with your cats specific problems. I will pray for Starr. I have not read anything about him in along time. I thought after his teeth he was doing better? I must have really missed something.

HUGS to meowie and Starr. Sometimes switching vets is the best for our babies.

[AmberLee]

{{{KAK}}} & {{{Starr}}}

So sorry the little guy is still having problems. Do keep us updated on his progress. :eek: :(

[CathyBogart]

I look forward to meeting you and Starr tomorrow, and introducing you to my new bottle baby.

Hopefully within a few weeks he'll be feeling loads better and back to himself. I can't imagine how cranky I'd be if I'd had an upset tummy for weeks on end. :( I told one of my co-workers he was coming in, and she's excited too since she has a soft spot for meezers. :)

[jenluckenbach]

What sad news that Starr is still having problems. :( I went through almost all this with Lucas, so I understand exactly what this is like (including the cleaning up of diarrhea.. YUK) I hope that this procedure will finally diagnose HOW to help him.

{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}

[Felicia's Mom]

I'm sorry that Starr is still having problems.

He is in my prayers.

[Killearn Kitties]

I really hope that this new vet can help poor Starr with his problems. Both of you have had more than your fair share over this.

[rosethecopycat]

Singing Meezer songs for Starr.

May they find his problem and get him on the road to recovery.

[catnapper]

Many prayers coming Starr's way. I am hoping you find an answer with this biopsy.

[catfamily]

Dr.Boltz sounds like a very intelligent vet.You must be so relieved to have her now as YOUR Vet.
Their are too many vets that aren't studying the new treatments that are being found for many illnessess in cats.
Starr...prayers for you baby from all of us.

[K & L]

Good luck Tracey and Starr! This poor little guy has been through so much. I sure hope this new vet can cure him once and for all. I'll be watching for updates. Hugs to you and Starr!

[Medusa]

It makes things so much easier to cope with when we have a knowledgeable, competent, friendly, compassionate vet and it sounds like you hit the jackpot. Prayers going out for Starr.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Glad you have found a vet with whom you feel comfortable and confident. Special thought for a swift and good diagnosis for Starr.

[Barbara]

Sending all best thoughts to little Starr- hope he is soon back to shining bright.

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh no!! I didn't realize Starr was still not feeling well. :(
It was very strange to see my vet's hospital name on this thread. I take Taz to Adobe Animal Hospital here in Concord. I doubt they are affiliated, but I love my vet. My Taz was also on the Z/D for a while, but then he stopped eating that too. I am so glad CathyBogart helped you find a better vet. Another great PT story!!
Anyways, I hope the new doctor can get Starr on the road to recovery.
Starr will be in my thoughts!! :D

[Donnaj4962]

I am so sorry to hear that Starr is still not feeling well. But it sounds like you have now found teh vet that will be able to help get him well again.

Many prayers and well wishes for you and Starr. Please keep us posted on how the biopsy goes, and of course, the results!

[catmandu]

POOR LITTLE STARR!
SHES SO YOUNG TO HAVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS.
THE PET ANGEL VISITORS WILL THERE THERE IN FULL FORCE TO LOVE AND COMFORT STARR AND HELP HER THROUGH THIS ORDEAL.
tHERE WILL BE WARM BLANKIES FROM HAWAII, AND TONS OF HEADBUMPS AND LITTLE KITTY KISSIES!
AND PRAYERS FROM US ALL THAT STARR WILL BE WELL.
PLEASE GO, LET OUR FRIEND STARR GO HOME!!

[jazzcat]

Poor Starr! I'm so sorry that he is still so sick but hopefully there is a light at the end of the tunnel with this new vet. I will keep him and you in my thoughts and prayers.

I really hope they can figure this out and get our little Starr back to a happy healthy state soon.

[Randi]

I'm sorry to hear Starr still has problems. :( The vet you found sounds like a good one though, so hopefully she'll be able to find the right treatment for Starr.

Sending my best thoughts that Starr will feel better soon, and hugs to you!

[Kirsten]

Poor Starr!!! I had no idea he's feeling so bad!! :(

But at least you found a good vet who's now trying to find out what's wrong with him, and I hope whatever she'll find out, it's something that's easy to treat!

Keeping Starr in my thoughts,

Kirsten

[CalliesMom]

Awww. Poor Starr! I did not realize he was not feeling that well but at least it sounds like you have a great vet. Fingers and paws crossed here that he begins to feel better and you find out what is wrong with him!

[Catsnclay]

It makes things so much easier to cope with when we have a knowledgeable, competent, friendly, compassionate vet and it sounds like you hit the jackpot. Prayers going out for Starr.

How true!!

I didn't realize that Starr was still having problems. I'm glad you decided to look for a different vet, and it sounds like you really found a good one!

Please keep us posted on Monday - I know Starr is in wonderful hands right now, so try not to worry!

You know how to reach me if there is anything I can do for you!!

Good luck! ;)

[momcat]

Your new vet sounds like she was sent to Starr from heaven! Count on my prayers for some definite answers, a relatively minor problem, and a swift & complete recovery for your dear Starr. Please keep us updated?

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) I know that Starr will be in excellent hands. When I drop him off tonight I will hopefully know more details about his surgical biopsy. I'll continue to keep you updated.

[kitimom]

Sending songs and prayers for Starr's biopsy to be a gentle and as pain free as possible and that the outcome isn't bad!!!

[jennielynn1970]

Oh! Poor Starr boy! Sophie is very concerned, and asks if there is anything that she can do to make her valentine/beau feel better?? Toys, treats, nip, a fluffy blankie??

I'll be keeping this handsome boy in my thoughts. I was hoping that he had been doing better. Gentle pets and hugs to him!

[lisalee]

Poor baby. I'll be keeping Starr and you in my thoughts and prayers. I hope the little guy feels better soon.

[CathyBogart]

Just a quick update: Starr checked in and he's resting in his cage right now. He wasn't thrilled about being put into the cage but he settled down quickly. He was a good boy for his blood draw too. :)

[kimlovescats]

Hugs to you, Tracey, and kisses for little Starr! I hope everything turns out ok and this new vet can find the proper treatment! ;)

[Cataholic]

Hoping for good news on Starr!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Just a quick update: Starr checked in and he's resting in his cage right now. He wasn't thrilled about being put into the cage but he settled down quickly. He was a good boy for his blood draw too. :)
Thanks for the update Cathy. I know he's in good hands.:) I still don't know when he'll have his surgery tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be in the morning so I won't be worrying about him all day. I won't be able to update here until Mon. night when I get home and I may also be able to go and visit him tomorrow too.

Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate all of your concerns.:)

[Don Juan's mom]

I just saw this thread. Poor baby! I'll ask St. Francis to keep an eye on him today.

Liz

[Logan]

Tracey, Starr's "twin", older brother, Butter, and I are sending many, many prayers your way. We hope that the source of Starr's problem can be found and he will be on his way to a 100% healthy life. :)

Love,
Logan and Butter

[lvpets2002]

:( Oh my dear poor wittle baby Starr.. Best of Luck & of course Me & the girls send lots of Prayers & Huggss.. Keep us Posted ok Tracey..

[jennielynn1970]

Hope things went well today for Starr... poor little boy! Gentle hugs and scritchies to you when you come home! I hope that they can find out what is making Starr sick and repair so he'll feel better for good!

[ramanth]

Prayers and good thoughts for Starr!!

[Catty1]

Hugs, Starr! Hope you are on your way to a happy healthy life!

[Karen]

Prayers still on the way for Starr!

[krazyaboutkatz]

My vet called me at around 2pm today and let me know that everything went very well. It went so well that I was able to pick Starr up tonight instead of tomorrow.:) His tummy is shaved and he has buried stiches which will dissolve. He doesn't need to wear an e-collar either. He's on pain medicine, antibiotics, and a form of pepcid for his gas problem. The vet said that he's been having a lot of gas.:(

He was also a little dehydrated last night so he was given some IV fluids. On the way home he had an accident in his carrier.:( He peed all over himself so now his tail is all wet and he smells pretty bad.:( Luckily the bottom of his carrier had a litterbox liner and a puppy training pad on top of that so it absorbed most of the accident. I tried to dry him off but I don't want to mess with him too much because he's not feeling well.

Storm greeted him with a big hiss which is normal for Storm. The others just wanted to smell him and Pearl wanted to mother him. He still doesn't want to eat yet so hopefully by tomorrow morning he'll be more like his old self. I gave him a dose of his pain medicine and I'm supposed to also give him his pepcid and antibiotic tonight as well but they are chews that are chicken flavored so they look like treats. If he isn't hungry then I can't give them to him. I hope he likes them and will gobble them up.

The vet said that she saw some inflammation which is what she expected to see but she also saw what looked like some scar tissue too. This may be from him having diarrhea for such a long period of time. If I remember correctly she also saw some swollen glands which she also decided to biopsy. I sure hope that these aren't tumors.:( She took tissues samples from 5-6 different places and will call me with the results on Wed. as soon as she receives the results. It's so great to have a vet call you with information and not always be the one having to call to try to get the information. My other vets office never called and I had to always call and bug them about everything.

Thanks for all of the continued prayers.:) I really appreciate this. Please continue to keep Starr in your thoughts and prayers. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him. His birthday is this coming Thurday and he'll only be 2 years old. I was hoping that he'd be better by then but at least I'll now know what's causing his problems. I'll continue to keep you updated when I can.

I'll attach a few pictures of him because one is quite graphic. Here he is relaxing after a dose of pain medicine.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Continued prayers on the way for Starr! I hope he feels better soon

[jazzcat]

Ouch! Look at that sore belly. Poor Starr, I sure hope the vet calls with some good news and a quick remedy for you. You've suffered for so long.

Continued prayers and positive thoughts.

[AmberLee]

I'm glad to hear that Starr's home. ~~~ healing vibes for the little guy ~~~

[jennielynn1970]

Oh poor Starr!! That tummy looks really tender. I hope that the vet finds all things can be taken care of easily, and that nothing is seriously wrong. He's so young to be so ill. Gentle hugs and chin rubs for the sweetie. Sophie just came and sat down and is looking at Starr's pics with me. She is purring him some get well vibes. :)

[rosethecopycat]

Starr looks so happy to be home.

Feel better soon, Starr.

[Abby&Buddy'sMom]

I just saw this thread...and I send out my best wishes for Starrs' quick recovery.

Abby just wanted to let Starr know that last fall she also shared his "shaved belly with stiches" look too, and he will be alright and back to himself in no time.
----->>>> LOOK Starr....I look just like you!!!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a54/Helga-G-Pitacky/10-25-06abbyaftersurgery2.jpg?

and look what else they did to me.......

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a54/Helga-G-Pitacky/10-25-06abbyaftersurgery3neck.jpg?

Starr, make sure you listen to your Meowmie and take your treats (medicine) like a good boy, as I am sure she will take extra good care of you , love Abby

PS...all of my fur has grown back beautifully ...... as yours will too ;)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks everyone.:) He still didn't want anything to eat last night but ate very well this morning and he seems to be more like his old self.:) He tried to give Storm headbumpies but Storm just hissed and tried to attack him.:eek: He wouldn't eat his medicine treat so I had to open up his mouth and force him to eat it. He only gets half of it 2 times a day and then a whole one at night which is the pepcid. The vet tech assured me that even picky cats will love these. Well so far not Starr.:(

[Medusa]

Doncha love it when they say that? I know my cats hear them and think "Yeah? Watch this." I'm glad Storm is doing better, tho.

[ramanth]

Happy to hear he's home. :) Keep getting better Starr!

[Kirsten]

I'm glad to hear he ate this morning! :)

But oh his poor belly!! Hope you'll get the results very soon!

Kirsten

[catlover4ever]

Tracey, I'm so sorry...I'm just seeing this now. :( Poor Starr, I sure hope he is feeling better real soon and hope that the biopsy comes back negative for anything and everything.

Good vibes, positive thoughts and major prayers coming your way. (((HUGS)))

[Don Juan's mom]

Love the look on Starr's face in the one pic. Those pain meds are the BEST, aren't they. :D

But honey, you need to take your other medicine, even if it doesn't taste as good as the vet said it would. Mommy wants you to be well and strong, so you can cuddle with her and play with your brothers and sisters. :)

Zerlina says that she's glad Starr doesn't have to worry about kittens now. :confused:

Liz

[kimlovescats]

Welcome home, precious Starr! I'm so glad you are feeling a bit better this morning! Tracey, I pray that all the test results come back OK and your little guy will be all better soon!

Hugs,
Kim

[Catsnclay]

I'm glad that Starr is home where he belongs!

The reason Storm keeps hissing is because Starr still smells like the vet's office, and we all know how much they love that! :rolleyes:

I have to give Fluffy pepcid a/c too, but I was told to buy it and cut it up then pop it down his throat - like that is fun to do! For an old dude he sure can clamp his jaw shut !! And even though it makes him feel better, it sure is a struggle in the mornings trying to give it to him!! I think I will ask about these "special" treats!!

Glad to see Starr home!!

[RedHedd]

Poor Starr. That's quite an ordeal he's been through. Hopefully this vet will help you get to the bottom of all his problems so he can live a long and healthy life.

[Killearn Kitties]

Glad to know that Starr is now recuperating at home. Poor baby! Still sending all my best wishes his way.

I didn't realise that Starr shared a birthday with my sister-in-law! :D

[Medusa]

Boy, I'm just having one blonde moment after another. I mean to say "Starr", not Storm. Please forgive.

[K & L]

Thanks for the update Tracey. So do you have a final diagnoses? I'm glad he's doing so well.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks again everyone.:) I should know the results some time tomorrow. It's going to be a long day.

Bunny, the pepcid chicken treats are called famotidine chews and he's also on metronidazole chicken chews. He still hates both of them so I have to force them in his mouth and make him swallow them.:( He loves the flavor of malt so maybe if they were malt flavored he'd like them much better. I even tried coating them with a little bit of the malt flavored hairball medicine but it only helped a little bit. I don't know what I'll do if he ends up having to be on medicine for the rest of his life. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks.:)

[catnapper]

Just catching up on this now, I'm glad he's home and starting to feel like his old self again. Sorry to hear how difficult he is to pilll.... no suggestions since my Allen is the same way. Its going to be a long day til you hear the results, so we're all here holding your hand.

[Barbara]

I'm so glad to hear Starr is back home and eating - and I'm sorry to hear he doesn't like his medicine treats :(. I also have two guys here who cannot be tricked by any medicine, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it is not forever.

[ChrisH]

Poor Star. :( Prayers and good thoughts on the way.

[Medusa]

Lots of prayers and candles burning tonight for Starr and you. :)

[catmandu]

Moose Angels coming over with some Hawaiin treats and hope that he can coaze his little friend to eat.
Baby Shrimps should do the trick and that Moose PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR is theraputic.
All the prayers in the World for your Super Starr to be better very soon.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi, I just got home a little while ago and I had to feed the cats first before I could get on the computer. Dr. Boltz called me around 4:30pm today and said that both Starr's small and large intestine show that he has food allergies and also colitis.:( Luckily this is all it is and I'll be starting him on the right doseage of pred this time and I'll also continue to feed him the Hills Z/d dry food as long as he'll eat it. If he doesn't want it then I can feed him the Natural Balance Green Pea & Venison and if he won't eat this then I'll try Storm's prescription food. Since Starr's so thin, I have to make sure that he eats something and she said that when he's on the pred he should be able to eat almost any kind of food but that the Hills Z/D would be best for him in the long run.

The vet's office that I was using told me to give him 1/4 of a tablet (5mg) 2 times a day for 7 days, then 1/4 of a tablet 1 time a day for the next 7 days and then 1/4 of a tablet every other day until they're gone. Dr. Boltz told me that this is one reason that I didn't see any change in Starr's diarrhea. Her instructions are as follows: give one 5mg tablet 2 times a day for 7 days then 1 tablet 1 time a day for 3 weeks and then give them as directed. I need to call her after the first week to let her know how he's doing and then we'll take it from there. She said that if he remains on the Hills Z/D diet that he'll probably be able to be weaned down to taking only 1-2 5mg tablets a week to keep his illness under control.

I know that I probably could have just tried this new diet and pred doseage before trying the biopsy surgery but Starr's health was declining so much that both the doctor and I agreed that we really needed to know what was causing his problem so that she would know how to treat him. I was also tired of playing the guessing game. Now hopefully this will all work and Starr will become a very healthy and happy littlle boy again.:) I had also asked Dr. Boltz about allergy testing and she said that it's not very accurate and that sometimes it even says that an animal is allergic when they aren't and that they are allergic when they really aren't. Since Starr had been on pred he would've also had to wait 6 weeks before he could be tested. I'll also be giving Starr 3 vitamin B12 injections myself and he'll be getting them 1 time a month starting on the week of March 25th. The first one has really helped him a lot.

Now I just need to fatten Starr up and the pred should cause him to be hungrier than normal so I'm going to try to feed him more small meals a day than I have been. Thanks again everyone for all of the prayers and concerns for Starr. He's now finally on the road to recovery.:)

[kimlovescats]

I'm so glad to hear that it was nothing serious with Starr. I know it is frustrating to not know exactly what it is he is allergic to. At least you know now that you can work with his food and meds and get him feeling better. He is such a handsome little guy, I'll be glad to hear that he is feeling better and filling out again soon! ;)

[K & L]

Glad to hear you found the problem and now can work at controlling it. Also I'm so happy it's nothing life threatening! I'll watch for updates.

[Catty1]

What a relief! Your young fella should be around for many many years to come! :D

Great news!

[jazzcat]

So glad to hear that Starr will now be on the road to recovery. I know you must feel better knowing what it is and how to treat it.

[Barbara]

Big *phew* Hope Starr is soon all healthy and (a little bit) fat again :)

[Taz_Zoee]

I am so glad to hear Starr is getting better. That is great news.
Oh, and I'd like to sneak in a Happy 2nd Birthday Starr!! :D

[Medusa]

I've had colitis for years and although I don't know how it is w/cats, I have long periods of time, years even, when I'm not troubled w/it at all. But stress is a major factor in flare ups. And, of course, there are certain foods that I must avoid. So, if that's the way it is w/Starr, then you should be able to keep it under control w/no problem. :)

[ChrisH]

So glad to hear the root of Starr's problem has been found and your beautiful boy is on the road to recovery. :D

Good and healing thoughts continuing.

[Zippy]

That's wonderful news.So as you know it he will be back to his ole self.I will keep him in my prayers.

[jennielynn1970]

I just wanted to post this as I know there are side effects of Prednisone if it is used for an extended period (human and animal). My father is on it and he bruises super easily. It's also linked to bones becoming brittle.

I found this site that has about the effects on animals (though they say it is more found in dogs at this point). It is a steroid, so just keep an eye on Starr if he has to use it longterm. Not to scare you, but to be informed about the side affects.

This article was really good.
http://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/monographs/prednisone.asp

[krazyaboutkatz]

I just wanted to post this as I know there are side effects of Prednisone if it is used for an extended period (human and animal). My father is on it and he bruises super easily. It's also linked to bones becoming brittle.

I found this site that has about the effects on animals (though they say it is more found in dogs at this point). It is a steroid, so just keep an eye on Starr if he has to use it longterm. Not to scare you, but to be informed about the side affects.

This article was really good.
http://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/monographs/prednisone.asp
Thanks Jenn.:) I know that this is why I was trying to avoid using this kind of drug but my new vet assured me that cats do very well on it and she's seen them on it for 10 years without any side affects. She said that people and dogs don't do well on it though.

Thanks again everyone.:)

[cassiesmom]

Starr, Birthday Kitty! Please take your prednisone for your Meowmie so your feline colitis will settle down. Take good care. Please have your Meowmie give you a birthday/get-well hug and snuggle for me. Purrs and head bops from Illinois.

[catlover4ever]

I'm glad to see that Starr is home and is on his way to mending 100%.

[phesina]

What good news for your birthday, Starr! Now your meowmie and your doctor know what's going on with you and know lots of different things to do about it!

Good health to you, dear Starr!

Pat and the gang

[kb2yjx]

I have 2 cats with food allergies that I feed the z/d canned. One day at the vet's, I read the ingredients of the z/d dry. I would not feed it to any animal, yet a cat with allergies. I could never understand why Hill's would put BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin( a rubber stabilizer)in food for cats with allergies!!!

[jenluckenbach]

Hopefully now that you KNOW Starr's problem, his diarrhea can be controlled.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have 2 cats with food allergies that I feed the z/d canned. One day at the vet's, I read the ingredients of the z/d dry. I would not feed it to any animal, yet a cat with allergies. I could never understand why Hill's would put BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin( a rubber stabilizer)in food for cats with allergies!!!
Yes, I don't like this either but right now I don't have much of a choice. I'm still hoping that I'll be able to eventually feed Starr the Natural Balance Venison & Green Pea without having to give him any prednisolone. Right now I just have to get his inflammation and diarrhea under control.

Thanks again everyone.:)